The 1973–74 NHL season was the 57th season of the National Hockey League. The Philadelphia Flyers won the Stanley Cup championship, the team's first. The team was the first of the post-1967 teams to win the Cup. League business With owner Charles O. Finley unable to find a buyer, the league took over operation of the troubled California Golden Seals in February 1974. Fred Glover then resigned as general manager-coach. Garry Young, who had served as general manager from October 1971 to November 1972, agreed to return. Marshall Johnston, a defenseman for the Golden Seals, retired and took over as coach.
The 1973 NHL amateur draft was held on May 15 at the Mount Royal Hotel in Montreal, Quebec. Denis Potvin was selected first overall by the New York Islanders.
Regular season
The Philadelphia Flyers, who developed the nickname "Broad Street Bullies" because of their physical style of play, dethroned the Chicago Black Hawks as the West Division champions behind the dominant play of Bobby Clarke and Bernie Parent.
The New York Rangers were floundering under new coach Larry Popein and were in danger of missing the playoffs, and Emile Francis took over the coaching reins. The Rangers then improved enough to get into the playoffs.
Tragedy hit the NHL in the early morning hours of February 21 when 44 year-old Buffalo Sabres defenseman Tim Horton was killed in an automobile accident. He had been returning to Buffalo from Toronto at the time.
In the East Division, the Boston Bruins regained the top spot in the East and the league, behind an ongoing offensive juggernaut that saw Bruins' players finish 1–2–3–4 in NHL scoring (Phil Esposito, Bobby Orr, Ken Hodge, and Wayne Cashman) for the second and most recent time in league history.
Final standings
Playoffs The playoffs began on April 9. The New York Rangers defeated the defending Stanley Cup champions in the first round for the third straight year, this time the Montreal Canadiens. For the first time since the inter-divisional semifinals were introduced in the 1971 playoffs, a 1967 expansion team eliminated an Original Six opponent when the Philadelphia Flyers defeated the Rangers. The Flyers not only made their first Stanley Cup Finals appearance, but by defeating the Boston Bruins in six games, Philadelphia became the first 1967 expansion team to win the Stanley Cup and the first non Original Six team to win it since the Montreal Maroons in 1935.
Playoff bracket The top four teams in each division qualified for the playoffs. In each round, teams competed in a best-of-seven series (scores in the bracket indicate the number of games won in each best-of-seven series).
In the quarterfinals, the fourth seeded team in each division played against the division winner from their division. The other series matched the second and third place teams from the divisions. The semifinals were then inter-divisional matchups, with winner of each #1 vs. #4 series playing the winner of the #2 vs. #3 series in the other division. The winners of the semifinals then advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Quarterfinals
(E1) Boston Bruins vs. (E4) Toronto Maple Leafs
The Boston Bruins finished first in the league with 113 points. The Toronto Maple Leafs finished fourth in the East Division with 86 points. This was the 13th playoff meeting between these two teams. Toronto lead 8–4 in previous meetings. Boston won their most recent meeting in five games in the 1972 Stanley Cup Quarterfinals. Boston won four of the six games in this year's regular season series.
(E2) Montreal Canadiens vs. (E3) New York Rangers
The Montreal Canadiens finished second in the East Division with 99 points. The New York Rangers finished third with 94 points. This was the 11th playoff meeting between these two teams with the teams splitting the ten previous series. They last met in the 1972 Stanley Cup Quarterfinals which New York won in six games. Montreal won four of the six games in this year's regular season series.
(W1) Philadelphia Flyers vs. (W4) Atlanta Flames
The Philadelphia Flyers finished first in the West Division and second in the league with 112 points. The Atlanta Flames finished fourth with 74 points, the lowest points earned by any playoff team in 1974. The Atlanta Flames made their first playoff appearance in their second season after entering the league in the previous year. This was the first playoff series meeting between these two teams. The teams split this year's six-game regular season series.
(W2) Chicago Black Hawks vs. (W3) Los Angeles Kings
The Chicago Black Hawks finished second in the West Division with 105 points. The Los Angeles Kings finished third in the West Division with 78 points. This was the first playoff series meeting between these two teams. Chicago won this year's six-game regular season series earning eight of twelve points.
Semifinals
(E1) Boston Bruins vs. (W2) Chicago Black Hawks
This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams with Boston winning all three previous series. Boston won their most recent meeting in a four-game sweep in the 1970 Stanley Cup Semifinals. Chicago won this year's five-game regular season series earning seven of ten points.
(W1) Philadelphia Flyers vs. (E3) New York Rangers
This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. New York won this year's five-game regular season series earning six of ten points.
Stanley Cup Finals
This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. The Bruins made their thirteenth Finals appearance; winning in their last appearance in 1972 where they defeated the New York Rangers in six games. The Flyers made their first Finals appearance in their seventh season since entering the league in the 1967–68 NHL season. Boston won this year's five-game regular season series earning seven of ten points. Boston was the prohibitive favorite entering the series.
However, the Philadelphia Flyers stunned the Bruins in six games to become the first non-Original Six team to win the Stanley Cup since 1935 and the first expansion team to do so since the league began expanding in 1967.
Awards A new award, the Jack Adams for the best coach, was introduced for this season. The first winner was Fred Shero of the Philadelphia Flyers.
1974 NHL awardsPrince of Wales Trophy:(East Division champion, regular season) Boston BruinsClarence S. Campbell Bowl:(West Division champion, regular season) Philadelphia FlyersArt Ross Trophy:(Top scorer, regular season) Phil Esposito, Boston BruinsBill Masterton Memorial Trophy:(Perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication) Henri Richard, Montreal CanadiensCalder Memorial Trophy:(Top first-year player) Denis Potvin, New York IslandersConn Smythe Trophy:(Most valuable player, playoffs) Bernie Parent, Philadelphia FlyersHart Memorial Trophy:(Most valuable player, regular season) Phil Esposito, Boston BruinsJack Adams Award:(Best coach) Fred Shero, Philadelphia FlyersJames Norris Memorial Trophy:(Best defenceman) Bobby Orr, Boston BruinsLady Byng Memorial Trophy:(Excellence and sportsmanship) Johnny Bucyk, Boston BruinsLester B. Pearson Award:(Outstanding player, regular season) Phil Esposito, Boston BruinsVezina Trophy:(Goaltender(s) of team(s) with best goaltending record) Tony Esposito, Chicago Black Hawks and Bernie Parent, Philadelphia Flyers
All-Star teams First team Position Second teamBernie Parent, Philadelphia Flyers GTony Esposito, Chicago Black HawksBobby Orr, Boston Bruins DBill White, Chicago Black HawksBrad Park, New York Rangers DBarry Ashbee, Philadelphia FlyersPhil Esposito, Boston Bruins CBobby Clarke, Philadelphia FlyersKen Hodge, Boston Bruins RWMickey Redmond, Detroit Red WingsRick Martin, Buffalo Sabres LWWayne Cashman, Boston Bruins
Player statistics
Scoring leaders Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes Player Team GP G A Pts PIM Phil Esposito Boston Bruins 78 68 77 145 58 Bobby Orr Boston Bruins 74 32 90 122 82 Ken Hodge Boston Bruins 76 50 55 105 43 Wayne Cashman Boston Bruins 78 30 59 89 111 Bobby Clarke Philadelphia Flyers 77 35 52 87 113 Rick Martin Buffalo Sabres 78 52 34 86 38 Syl Apps, Jr Pittsburgh Penguins 75 24 61 85 37 Darryl Sittler Toronto Maple Leafs 78 38 46 84 55 Lowell MacDonald Pittsburgh Penguins 78 43 39 82 14 Brad Park New York Rangers 78 25 57 82 148 Dennis Hextall Minnesota North Stars 78 20 62 82 138 Source: NHL.
Leading goaltenders Note: GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals against average; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts Player Team GP MIN GA GAA W L T SOBernie Parent Philadelphia Flyers 73 4314 136 1.89 47 13 12 12Tony Esposito Chicago Black Hawks 70 4143 141 2.04 34 14 21 10Ross Brooks Boston Bruins 21 1170 46 2.36 16 3 0 3Doug Favell Toronto Maple Leafs 32 1752 79 2.71 14 7 9 0Wayne Thomas Montreal Canadiens 42 2410 111 2.76 23 12 5 1Dan Bouchard Atlanta Flames 46 2660 123 2.77 19 18 8 5Rogie Vachon L.A. Kings 65 3751 175 2.80 28 26 10 5Michel Larocque Montreal Canadiens 27 1431 69 2.89 15 8 2 0Dunc Wilson Toronto Maple Leafs 24 1412 68 2.89 9 11 3 1Gilles Gilbert Boston Bruins 54 3210 158 2.95 34 12 8 6
Other statistics Plus-minus leader: Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins
Coaches
East Boston Bruins: Bep Guidolin Buffalo Sabres: Joe Crozier Detroit Red Wings: Ted Garvin and Alex Delvecchio Montreal Canadiens: Scotty Bowman New York Islanders: Al Arbour New York Rangers: Larry Popein and Emile Francis Toronto Maple Leafs: Red Kelly Vancouver Canucks: Phil Maloney
West Atlanta Flames: Bernie Geoffrion California Golden Seals: Fred Glover and Marshall Johnston Chicago Black Hawks: Billy Reay Los Angeles Kings: Bob Pulford Minnesota North Stars: Jack Gordon and Parker MacDonald Philadelphia Flyers: Fred Shero Pittsburgh Penguins: Ken Schinkel and Marc Boileau St. Louis Blues: Jean-Guy Talbot and Lou Angotti
Debuts The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1973–74 (listed with their first team, asterisk(*) marks debut in playoffs): Eric Vail, Atlanta Flames Tom Lysiak, Atlanta Flames Peter McNab, Buffalo Sabres Darcy Rota, Chicago Black Hawks Blake Dunlop, Minnesota North Stars Bob Gainey, Montreal Canadiens Michel Larocque, Montreal Canadiens Denis Potvin, New York Islanders Chico Resch, New York Islanders Dave Lewis, New York Islanders Al MacAdam, Philadelphia Flyers Blaine Stoughton, Pittsburgh Penguins John Davidson, St. Louis Blues Inge Hammarstrom, Toronto Maple Leafs Borje Salming, Toronto Maple Leafs Lanny McDonald, Toronto Maple Leafs Bob Dailey, Vancouver Canucks Dennis Ververgaert, Vancouver Canucks
Last games The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1973–74 (listed with their last team): Tim Horton, Buffalo Sabres Alex Delvecchio, Detroit Red Wings Dean Prentice, Minnesota North Stars Gump Worsley, Minnesota North Stars Frank Mahovlich, Montreal Canadiens Jacques Laperriere, Montreal Canadiens Barry Ashbee, Philadelphia Flyers Orland Kurtenbach, Vancouver Canucks
NOTE: Frank Mahovlich would finish his major professional career in the World Hockey Association.
Broadcasting Hockey Night in Canada on CBC Television televised Saturday night regular season games and Stanley Cup playoff games. HNIC also produced Wednesday night regular season game telecasts for CTV.
This was the second season under the U.S. rights agreement with NBC, airing weekend afternoon regular season games and playoff games.
See also List of Stanley Cup champions 1973 NHL amateur draft 1973–74 NHL transactions 27th National Hockey League All-Star Game National Hockey League All-Star Game List of WHA seasons Lester Patrick Trophy 1973 in sports 1974 in sports
References
Notes
External links Hockey Database NHL.com